Recap

Reds hit a hot-streak on the coldest day of the year to record their best win of the season.

In one of the few County League fixtures to beat the freeze, Reds produced a dominant second half performance to put Cockermouth to the sword.

The first half had been quite even and the visitors were denied an opening goal when Scott Paden-Gale pulled off a superb save to deny Mark Campbell.

Reds had tested Max Pickering with a few shots from distance but it looked as though the first half would finish goalless.

Then a controversial incident in the forty-fourth minute led to Workington’s first goal.  Cockermouth appealed for a foul in the build-up, with some justification, but the referee ignored their request and waved play on.  Jack Brown took advantage of his good fortune, made ground towards the visitors’ goal and released Ben Davidson who finished confidently to send Reds into the break with a slender lead.

The hosts started more positively on the restart but didn’t add to the goal tally until the hour mark.  Then two goals in as many minutes put the game beyond Cockermouth who suddenly lost their composure.

Lewis Moore got the second with his first league goal for the club, after fifty-seven minutes, and Jack Brown’s cheeky back-heel made it three soon after.

Former Reds player, Luke Ivison, reduced the arrears with a well struck shot from the edge of the box, after sixty-nine minutes, then Paden-Gale made an important save to thwart Luke Graham, maintaining the two-goal advantage.  

An unfortunate own-goal from Sam Firby made it 4-1 to Lee McCullough’s side, after seventy-one minutes, and two more in a five-minute purple patch secured a convincing victory.

Moore volleyed home the fifth, his second of the afternoon, and Davidson the sixth, an emphatic finish, in the next attack as he too netted twice.

Scorers Moore, Davidson and Brown (who also provided three assists) all impressed but Paden-Gale’s two excellent saves, at crucial stages of the game, were equally important as the ‘keeper also performed well.

Team: Scott Paden-Gale, Lewis Moore, Dan Whitehead (Luke Whitehead), Hayden Percival (Thomas Downes), Zach Martin, Scott Williamson, Evan Stephenson (Milo Cook), Zach Lester, Ben Davidson, Jack Brown, Cain Pears